South African wireless community networks are wireless networks that allow members to talk, send messages, share files and play games independent of the commercial landline and mobile telephone networks. Most of them use WiFi technology and many are wireless mesh networks. A wireless community network may connect to the public switched telephone network and/or the Internet, but there are various restrictions on connectivity in South Africa. Wireless community networks are particularly useful in areas where commercial telecommunications services are unavailable or unaffordable.
Wireless User Groups (WUGs) in South African cities build up infrastructure and applications, as well as training members in wireless technology skills. Therefore, WUGs provide a fertile ground for new technology and applications that may have large social benefits in informal communities and rural areas of South Africa and neighboring countries.
Background: South African Telecommunications Environment
South Africa has the best developed and most modern telephone system in Africa. There are almost 110 combined fixed-line and cellular telephones per 100 persons. There are 5.1 million Internet users."CIA World Factbook: South Africa" CIA. Retrieved 6 December 2008 The network is 99.9% digital. The fixed-line monopoly of Telkom SA, a listed company in which the government is the largest shareholder, expired with the licensing of Neotel as South Africa's second national operator, starting operations in November 2007. Neotel is licensed to provide the entire range of telecoms services with the exception of full mobility. Neotel is expanding their network fast, but so far is concentrating on urban areas."Neotel: R5bn loan to boost network rollout" ADSL South Africa 26 October 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008 The South African mobile communications market is growing fast. The country's three cellular network operators (Vodacom, MTN and Cell C) have over 39-million subscribers, or nearly 80% of the population."South Africa's telecommunications" South Africa.info. Retrieved 6 December 2008
However, although there are now over one million broadband subscribers, mostly using ADSL or HSDPA,"South Africa: Broadband subscriber base passes one million mark" International Telecommunication Union 25 March 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008 bandwidth remains relatively limited and expensive."Where does South Africa really stand regarding broadband prices?" MyBroadband 18 June 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2008 Major cities such as Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria have launched public-private initiatives to build their own broadband networks to provide cheaper voice and data services. For example, the city of Tshwane, which includes Pretoria, is testing delivery of broadband Internet and voice services on their new metro-wide fibre-optic network using wireless hot spots to provide ADSL access."Tshwane gets Internet hubba hubba" Mail & Guardian 2 December 2005. Retrieved 6 December 2008 In the meantime, the high cost of broadband access has stimulated development of Wireless User Groups. The WUGS are not allowed to sell internet connectivity, since they are non-commercial community networks. Although non-profit and operating in the license-exempt spectrums, their legal status is not clear. In October 2007, JAWUG requested clarification on whether it required a radio frequency spectrum and/or ECNS license for its activities."JAWUG asks for license exemption" My Broadband 3 October 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2008
Telkom provides relatively poor voice and internet service in underdeveloped rural areas of South Africa, although it is investigating ways to improve service using wireless technology."Telkom Centre of Excellence at TUT to Research Communication for Rural Communities" Telkom 22 June 2006. Retrieved 13 December 2008 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has licensed several small telecoms firms to operate regional networks in remote, under-served areas of the country."Ministry approves four applications for rural network licences" Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) ACP-EU 4 June 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2008 Bokone Telecoms in Polokwane and Amathole Telecoms in the Eastern Cape are experimenting with WiMAX technology to provide service. EE Publishers (Pty) Ltd However, due to relatively high costs and low revenue potential, these initiatives are moving slowly. There is room for more innovative approaches.
Currently, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service is allowed only in areas where less than five percent of the population have access to a telephone, and WiFi is restricted to use by individuals or organisations within the confines of their own premises. The argument is that low-cost or free VoIP over WiFi would destroy the incentive for commercial network providers to upgrade rural networks. However, several commentators consider that this policy is counter-productive."Restricting VoIP and WiFi costs South Africa its position as a technology leader in Africa" Bridges.org. Retrieved 13 December 2008"Wi-Fi - stifled by regulatory intransigence?" EE Publishers (Pty) Ltd. Retrieved 13 December 2008"South Africa losing role as Africa's technology leader" Afrol News 27 May 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008 As discussed later, many wireless community networks deliberately ignore the restrictions.
Sample City-Based Wireless Community Networks
Most cities in South Africa have one or more non-profit groups collaborating in running Wireless User Groups. Descriptions of a sample are given below, with information derived from their web sites.
Johannesburg WUG (JAWUG)
Jawug is located in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. Jawug, founded in 2002"All grown up" Too Far North. Retrieved 23 June 2014 by Kieran Murphy, Justin Jonker, Ross Clarke and Steven Carter, was the first wireless user group in South Africa, starting as an experimental network between four students, then quickly expanding into a much larger network by interconnecting several separate wireless mesh networks. Jawug is not an ISP. Its network is used purely for non-commercial and educational purposes. Jawug is regularly used for experimental deployment of new technologies. There are currently four links which interconnect the Jawug network with PTAWUG, the Wireless User Group in Pretoria, to the north of Johannesburg. Jawug and PTAWUG work together closely - Jawug helped to get PTAWUG off the ground."Free networks grow" Hellkom. Retrieved 6 December 2008"Free networks gain ground" My Broadband 19 June 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008 Jawug also gives technical assistance to new wireless users groups like Port Elizabeth Wireless Users Group (PEWUG). A core team of members manage all routing and highsite maintenance. Regular wugmeets are held to discuss network issues and future plans."Johannesburg Area Wireless Users Group website" Retrieved 6 December 2006
Jawug has a membership base of approximately 300 locations, and is constantly expanding.
Pretoria WUG (PTAWUG)
The Pretoria WUG was founded on 28 July 2007. The PTAWUG constitution guarantees openness, free participation and equality to all members of the Wireless User Group. PTAWUG is exclusively funded by donations from the community. Volunteers conduct highsite installation and maintenance in their spare time. PTAWUG is the 5th largest wireless network organization in the world with about 600 member connections (7 October 2009)."Free community networks gain momentum" My Broadband 12 October 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2009 To avoid rental costs, all highsites are on privately owned properties, mostly in high areas with a good line of sight to the surrounding areas. The network has a number of towers, with the other highsites located on tall buildings or at private residences in strategic places."PTAWUG website" Retrieved 6 December 2006
The Pretoria Wireless Project is another community based network in the city, which has been connected to the Pretoria WUG network as of 3 February 2008.
Cape Town Wireless User Group (CTWUG)
The Cape Town Wireless User Group has been around since about 2005 as a small network between friends. Since then it has grown to a citywide network. CTWUG has over 1500 user sites all around Cape Town - spanning all the way from Houtbay to Stellenbosch and into the Helderberg. CTWUG is a non-profit organisation that is geared towards community based wireless networking with a focus to promote the use and understanding of wireless equipment in order to build a citywide free wireless network. The building of this network forms a social and interactive community where people with an interest in expanding and improving the network donate time, money and equipment to the group.
CTWUG runs many network enhancements, including a GameTime system which stops all bulk traffic during certain hours for gaming and other high-priority network uses. CTWUG puts a lot of priority in making sure the network is usable for as many applications and uses as possible.
No monthly or annual fees of any kind is asked for membership and all contributions are completely voluntary. CTWUG maintains good vendor relationships to ensure high quality equipment is used and supplied for all network links.
Durban Wireless Community
The Durban Wireless Community was founded in December 2004 by a group of people interested in 802.11 a/b/g wireless technology in Durban, the third most populous city in South Africa. The first meeting in January 2005 had 4 attendees. The group now has about 200 people on the mailing list and about 15 live nodes on the network spanning from Bluff to Umbilo, Morningside, Town, Tollgate and Westville. Goals of the non-profit group, which is free to join and open to all, include educating the public about wireless technology, and learning more about the technology. The Durban Wireless Community has close ties to JAWUG."Durban Wireless Community website" Retrieved 6 December 2006
Potchefstroom Community Network
The Potchefstroom Community Network is a non-profit grassroots effort by members of the community to provide a broadband network between its members, using inexpensive off-the-shelf (WiFi) radio networking equipment. The network operates in the license-exempt 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum."Potchefstroom Community Network website" Retrieved 6 December 2006
Stellenbosch Community Network
The Stellenbosch Community Network is a joint project between Stellenbosch University and the Stellenbosch Local Municipality in Western Cape Province, South Africa. Its purpose is to provide the community with wireless access to University and Municipality services. The network is in a pilot phase. It will be operated as an open public network, accessible to anyone with the right equipment."Stellenbosch Community Network website" Retrieved 6 December 2006
iNethi Community Network This is an exception to the urban norm described above, namely hobbyists who generally have commercial internet access but want something more. In this case, which is currently located in Ocean View outside Cape Town but intends to expand, most users have no other internet access; also, the network hosts many resources in its "cloudlet" server/s, such as user-generated video-sharing applications; such local resources are free to use, while access to the wider internet is on the basis of prepaid vouchers. The project is supported by the University of Cape Town.
Rural Wireless Community Networks